


i was fine flyin' solo, now i can't stop thinkin' 'bout you

by dualitatem



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Ben is conflicted, Ben is kind of rude at first, Din is a sweetheart, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Masturbation, Mutual Pining, Pining, Rey is confused, Sexual Tension, Twitter Prompt, Unresolved Sexual Tension, ben is smitten, but he's actually a sweetheart, but we love him, supportive friends
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-07-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:40:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24743980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dualitatem/pseuds/dualitatem
Summary: Prompt from @galacticidiots on Twitter:With her visa about to expire, Rey’s friend Din offers to marry her. It seems easy until she meets her immigration officer. Ben Solo is smart & attractive. He’s the perfect guy.By the end of the process, Rey is in love with him — and she’s either getting deported or married.
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Rose Tico, Din/Rey, Kylo Ren/Rey, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Poe Dameron/Finn, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 32
Kudos: 54





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! This is my first ever fan fic. I am new to all of this, so please be gentle. However, I am open to feedback!
> 
> You can find me on twitter: https://twitter.com/bensolodeserve4  
> Come say hi! 
> 
> Anyways, please enjoy this trash! XD

Rey bursts into her apartment, effectively scaring her best friend and foster brother, Finn, who is lounging on the couch.

“Hey, Peanut! I got your text from earlier. Are you okay?” Finn asks with his brows furrowed, “I’ve been really worried. This whole ‘sending a panicky text with no context or detail’ is not for me.”

“Oh my god, Finn! I am _so_ sorry! I meant to elaborate, but then I got caught up in everything and-” Rey sighs, “It’s just been a really shitty day.”

She plops down on the couch and closes her eyes. She takes a deep breath. “My visa expires soon.”

“Okay...”

Rey looks over at a visibly confused Finn. She had already told him this information several weeks ago.

“Can’t you extend it? I know you have a work visa—I thought you said that you had people helping you figure it all out.”

“I tried that already and I was denied. Apparently there have been some complications and the bottom line is that I have to go back to the UK.”

Finn looks really troubled. “Wow, babe I-I don't know what to say. I am so sorry. I wish there was something I could do. I've never had to deal with this problem before.”

Rey doesn’t say anything. She’s known Finn long enough that silence is no longer uncomfortable. She sits there, slowly spiraling, when he hops up suddenly, a look of determination on his face.

“We’re going to figure this out. There has to be something we can do!”

Rey sighs again and rubs her temples, “Finn, I appreciate the enthusiasm, I really do. But I have to be realistic here. If staying in the US isn’t feasible, which it's looking like it isn't, then I have to face the fact that I’m moving back to London.”

“I just hate that you’ve had to deal with so many disappointments.” He gives her a meaningful look. “Moving to the US was an important marker in your life. It allowed you to move on from the pain you experienced and begin a life that you deserved.”

Rey’s eyes fill with tears. She knows one thing—she does not deserve Finn. She thinks back on the day that she met him. She had been a scrappy little thing—mousy brown hair, doe-like eyes, and a scrutinizing gaze. She had just moved into her latest foster home and Finn was among the kids that had lived there.

"Hi! My name is Finn! What's your name? Where are you from? What is your favorite color? My favorite color is blue. How-" And on and on it went. It was a bit overwhelming at first—having someone actively pursuing you. However, it didn't take very long to warm up to his charms; he was very persistent. He had been the first ray of sunshine in her very dark life (ironic, she knows). They had been best friends ever since.

Rey is jerked back to the present and looks at him, “You know I really love you, right?”

He grins, “Of course. You couldn’t survive without me.”

“In your dreams, Finnegan.”

He whines, “You know how much I hate that name.”

“Well, I wasn't the one who gave it to you. Also, pouting does not become you.”

He rolls his eyes. “Moving on—Why don’t we do something fun! We can get the gang together, get wasted, and maybe brainstorm some ideas concerning your situation.”

“You expect the gang to come up with brilliant ideas….while wasted.” She deadpans. “Yeah, great plan. That's totally going to work.”

"Rey-"

"I mean honestly, you should win the Nobel Prize."

"Haha, very funny-"

"Add on the Pulitzer Prize while we're at it!"

“Oh, come on, Rey. Just one night of some good ol’ fun and a hard drink. You need it right now.”

Rey hesitates and then debates with herself. She probably should be looking into the ins and outs of her situation. But she is tired, her eyes burn every time she closes them, and she doesn't want to go anywhere _near_ a computer screen. And a hard drink _does_ sound enticing. 

“Okay, _fine_. I’ll go.”

Finn squeals. She tries not to smile.

“But I need to be back at a decent hour! We don’t want a repeat of last time.” She says pointedly.

Finn shudders dramatically. “Yeah, I’d rather avoid wasted, crazy, and entirely too daring Rey as well.”

She punches his arm lightly.

~

Rey walks into the low lit bar with Finn, looking around for their friends. Getting used to the idea of having friends—and good ones at that—was hard for her. Trusting people does not come easily, especially considering her childhood. However, her little gang persisted and they’ve proven their loyalty time and again. She honestly can't complain.

“Rey of Sunshine!”

She takes it back. 

“Poe, you know how much I don’t like that name.”

Poe winks, “But it’s just so _cute_ \- like you.”

Finn, aghast, says, “Now don’t go flirting with my best friend.”

“Me? Flirting? Ha, never! Plus, I already have an amazing boyfriend. No one could ever replace him.”

He draws Finn into his arms and gives him a kiss. Finn huffs.

“I sure hope not.” Finn tries not to smile.

Rey feels like she's intruding on a private moment.

“I’m—um—going to go find a table.”

“No need!” Poe says, “We already found one in the corner over there.” He points.

Rey sees her other friends already sitting down. She heads over with a smile.

“Rey! I’ve missed you so much!”

Rey is greeted with a bear hug. Rose always manages to surprise Rey with hugs that are shockingly strong for Rose’s size.

“Hey, Rose!”

Rey looks up and sees the others—Jannah, Din, and Kaydel. Joy fills her. She’s so grateful to have such a wonderful group of friends. They are like the family she never had.

“Hi, Rey! How’s our favorite editor doing?” Jannah smiles.

Rey shrugs, “Eh, I’ve been better.”

That’s another thing she’s had to get used—being honest with people about how she really is. She's honestly not very good at it but hey—she's trying. 

“Finn told us what happened. I am so very sorry, Rey Rey.” Kaydel frowns.

“Is there anything we can do?” Rose says after letting go of Rey.

“I wish there was. The lawyers are saying there is no way around this.” Rey hesitates. “Well, there is _one_ thing, but I’m not going there.”

“What do you mean? If there is a way out, go for it!” Poe exclaims, as he and Finn join the rest of them.

Rey snorted. “Unless you can find a husband for me in less than a month, then no, I can’t just ‘go for it.’”

“Oh. I’d offer Rey, but…” Poe looks over at Finn.

Rey is appalled. “No! I would never ask you to do that! I was mainly joking.”

She plasters a smile on her face. “Enough about me. I want to grab a drink and then hear about how all of you are doing.”

The night passes quickly. She laughs more than she has in awhile. Stress really does change a person. At the end of the night, her worries seem far, far away. Jannah is the first to leave.

“Awww come onnnn, Jannah. Stay a little longer.” Poe hiccups and then hugs her.

Jannah huffs and pushes a clinging Poe off of her, “I can’t Poe. I have to get up early for work tomorrow.”

Her words are like a bucket of ice, bringing Rey back to reality.

Work. Visa. Right. _Shit_.

“I should probably head out too.”

“What?! Not you too Rey!” Poe dramatically reaches for her and flings his other arm across his forehead.

Rey, easily sidestepping Poe's drunken advances, looks at Finn with amusement. “Make sure to give him some water and Advil in the morning.”

“Will do.” Finn salutes and grins, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll text you later, Peanut.”

Rey says goodbye to the others, grabs her coat, and starts walking towards the entrance.

A familiar voice rings out. “Rey, wait!”

She turns around and sees Din. Rey has always liked Din. He was the quiet type and incredibly kind, albeit dry and stubborn. There’s something about him that makes her feel safe. He would have been a perfect big brother when she was a kid.

“What’s up, Din?”

He’s fidgety—that is the first red flag. Din is _never_ fidgety.

“Din?”

He mumbles something she can’t hear. Second red flag—Din may be gruff and quiet, but he's always clear when he talks. He has the kind of voice that demands attention. 

“I’m sorry, what was that?” She was officially worried.

He hesitates and finally blurts out, “Will you marry me?”

Rey has always been the kind of person that calculates her next move. She’s had to, growing up the way she did. Even with her work visa situation, she's already been mentally preparing moving back to the UK. She may not know exactly how it will all play out, but she always has a backup plan. And for the first time in her life, Rey doesn’t know what the hell to do.


	2. Chapter Two

Despite her difficult childhood, Rey had dreams. Some—like becoming a chef because her love of food was, and is, vast—were completely silly, she knew this (it should be known that she can’t cook, even if her life depended on it). But some—well—some of them seemed possible. Rey has always been the self-deprecating type, but she couldn’t help imagining a man getting down on his knees, proclaiming his undying love for her. She’s held that little dream close to her heart for years. However, right now, in this moment, Rey’s dream was not going the way she had envisioned... _at all._

“Din, I’m sorry but—” Rey _cannot_ believe what is happening right now. “What the actual _fuck_?”

“Rey, let me explain.” Din looks distraught, his hands reach for her, intending to calm her, and then he thinks better of it, running it through his hair instead. “Please?”

She assesses the motion with a shrewd gaze, body tensing. Rey knows, deep down, that she can trust him and she knows she is overreacting. But she hates being caught off guard; it immediately makes her uneasy. There are people out there—horrible people—who seem kind. They lure you in, their words coated in sugar. Once you let your guard down, however, their whole personality changes. She’s had too many people manipulate her in the past, their ghosts still haunting the dark corners of her mind. In her experience, nice people hide things—dark things—behind their smiles, their teeth ready to sink into her already scarred heart. While this situation isn’t exactly the same as previous ones, random changes in a person’s personality triggers her. 

Rey leads him outside where it’s cooler and there’s more space to talk. She takes a deep, calming breath, nervously picking at the non-existent thread on her shirt, deciding to be honest with him, “You do realize how uncomfortable this makes me, right? You have never once expressed interest in me and I view you like an older brother. I’m really confused. _But_ —” She gives Din a look. “I’ll let you talk.”

He starts to pace. “I should have worded it differently or prefaced it or something. I—fuck. I am so sorry, Rey. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable around me or think I’m a creep—” He’s rambling. This is the most she’s seen Din talk in one sitting. Despite her anxiety, it’s kind of funny. 

She cracks a small smile. “Din—”

“And I want you to feel safe! I should have thought this through more. _Damn it_ _—_ ”

She shakes her head, trying to get his attention. “Din—”

“I don’t know everything about your past, but I know enough. Throwing that on you suddenly was _not_ okay and I am really sorry—”

“ _Din_!”

He grimaces and then peers at her.

“Yeah?”

“Please, just explain why you said it in the first place. And I accept your apology.” 

“Oh—okay.” He looks a bit more composed now. “Well—” He clears his throat. “Look, you and I both know you’re having problems with your visa and—” 

The realization strikes Rey in the gut. She splutters,“Hold up!” Her hand flies in the air, signaling him to stop talking, “Are you saying that I—that _we_ — should get _married_?” 

“I know how it sounds! But think about it! This is literally your only option. And despite all of your reassurances tonight, you don’t really want to go back to the UK, do you?” His knowing gaze makes her feel naked— _vulnerable_. 

_She hates it._

“It doesn’t matter what I want, because I’m not marrying you! I don’t love you and you don’t love me—at least, not in a romantic way.”

Din sighs, looking disappointed and honestly, _what the fuck does he have to be disappointed for? This idea is batshit crazy._ “Rey, listen to me. I’ve known you long enough to realize how stubborn you are and how little you ask for help. I _want_ to help you with this. It’ll be a marriage of convenience and then, after a period of time, we can divorce.” He shrugs like it’s no big deal. _Yeah, right._

She furrows her brow and bites her cheek hard, centering herself, the blood bringing some clarity to her mind. “But what about your love life? What if you meet someone and your relationship with me prevents you from being happy?”

“You're one of my closest friends. It’ll only be a year or two of our lives. And, at this point, if I was to meet anyone, I feel like I would have already. I’m getting too old for this.” He grins wryly. 

Rey snorts and rolls her eyes, “That is not true and you know it. You are the male version of a cougar. Women fall at your feet and cry, ‘Daddy!’” Din laughs, giving her a sheepish glance— _h_ _e knows it’s true, the bastard._ A bit of their regular banter is nice. It makes this feel more...normal. 

She thinks about what Din said and he’s right—she doesn’t want to go back to the UK. There are too many bad memories there and so many people that she could run into. She shivers. No, she _cannot_ go back there. But in order to stay in the US, she has to marry Din. There are no other options. 

“This is probably the worst idea ever.” Din perks up at this. “We could get into huge trouble if we’re caught. It’s not going to be easy. And everyone _knows_ to never agree with your crazy ideas.” She hesitates for just a moment, “But I think—I think I just might be as crazy as you are.” 

“Does that mean you’ll do it?” His eyes are hopeful.

She huffs, “Yeah, I guess that means I’ll do it.”

Din, not one for dramatics, simply grins. “Good choice, Rey. And again, I really do want to do this. I hope you know that.” 

She smiles and looks at him, “Yeah, I think I do.” Rey grabs her phone and looks at the time. _Shit._ She needs to go home and sleep before she has to head to work in a few, short hours. “Hey, I really have to go. We’re going to have to get together and figure out details. If we’re going to get this right, we have to be thorough.”

“Completely understandable.” He nods, serious. “Text me when you’re free?”

She smiles, “Of course.” 

~

They meet the next week at Rey’s favorite coffee shop.

“Okay, so I’ve been doing some research.” Rey says, sitting at a secluded table, Din across from her with his black coffee in front of him. “We don’t have to be married when we meet with an immigration officer. Being engaged is actually fine.” 

“Huh—okay.” Din nods. “Not to be a downer, but so far, it sounds too easy.” 

She chuckles. “That’s because I haven’t gotten to the hard part yet.” Her laptop sits on the table in front of her, several tabs open with information about the subject they are discussing. “They are going to ask us questions—interview us, essentially—and we _need_ to be prepared. One wrong step and we’re toast. So—” She hands him a small stack of papers stapled together. “This has some questions we should go over and information you need to be aware of.” 

He starts rifling through the papers, “Wow, okay. This is a lot.” 

“Din—” Rey glances around the crowded cafe, her voice dropping to a whisper, “You know that this—none of this—is technically legal. If you want to back out, now would be the time to do it.” 

He looks her straight in her hazel eyes, his own the same color as his coffee. “I want to help you, Rey. So, I’m doing this.”

She smiles, relieved, her tense shoulders drop. “Alright then, let’s get started.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! It's me: your trashy reylo fic writer. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Kudos and comment give me life. ;)


	3. Chapter Three

Anxiety sometimes feels like a living thing. It terrorizes your insides, crawls from your stomach up to your throat, constricting your airways. It sometimes feels like the butterflies you get when you’re around your crush. Or maybe those butterflies were anxiety all along. Regardless, Rey feels that anxiety restricting her oxygen. It’s a strangely familiar feeling, this panic. She’s had panic attacks since she was little, living in a small closet, her foster father, Plutt, drinking himself into oblivion. She was forced to not make a sound during those moments. Otherwise, Plutt would have been on her, creating more galaxies on her already black and blue skin. 

“Are you ready?”

Rey is brought back to the present by the sound of Din’s voice. She looks over at him, once again debating if this is a good idea. He gives her a reassuring smile, eyes fond. She nods, “Yeah, I guess so.” 

“Hey,” He bumps her lightly, “Breathe a little. All of those questions are ingrained into my head at this point. I feel like a walking encyclopedia.” 

She laughs and then winces, the shrill sound like an untuned instrument. They both look at the immigration office staring at them in the face. “Remember Din, we need to exude confidence.” Let’s just be honest, Rey is talking more to herself at this point. She looks at him again. “We have this—right?” 

He grins. “Of course we do, girlie.”

Huh...he’s never called her that before. It makes her heart warm and confirms her earlier suspicions—he would have totally made a great older brother. 

She takes a deep breath and strides towards the door, determined. The inside is busy, different voices filling up the space. She walks up to the front desk. 

“Hi, I have an appointment with Mr. Solo at three-thirty.” 

The receptionist, a middle-aged woman with a sour expression, starts clacking her acrylic nails on her keyboard. “Name?” 

“Rey—Rey Johnson.”

“Alright, Miss Johnson, if you could have a seat, Mr. Solo will be with you in a moment.”

Rey gives the woman her most brilliant smile. “Thank you so much!” 

Miss Sour Face doesn’t even respond. _Rude._

She sits down next to Din and rubs her temples. The fluorescent lights are starting to give her a headache. 

“You okay?” Din’s brows furrow, his eyes full of concern.

“I’m okay. I just have a bit of a—”

“Miss Johnson and Mr. Lorian?”

The deep voice is like rolling thunder. Rey strangely wants to wrap herself in it. She looks up and the sight that greets her takes her breath away. He is tall, well over six feet. Thick, dark hair perfectly frames an angular face with a larger nose. His shirt barely manages to stay together—it’s stretched tight over what looks to be a well chiseled chest. His lips are plush, pink, and oh, so soft looking. And his _eyes._ There is a forest hidden in their depths. The browns and greens blend together beautifully. She wishes they would look her way forever. 

_Wait._

They _are_ looking at her—rather intently. Oh shit, he asked a question didn’t he? Damn him and his distracting eyes!

“Oh, yes! Yes, I am Rey—er, _Miss_ Johnson.” Smooth Johnson. _Real_ smooth. 

“And I am Mr. Lorian.” Din calmly shakes the other man’s hand. How is he so much better at this than her?

“I am Ben Solo.” The tree of a man turns towards Rey. “Your immigration officer. Now, if you will please follow me to my office.” 

His office is decorated tastefully. There don’t, however, seem to be pictures anywhere in the space—odd. Mr. Solo goes behind his desk and gestures at the seats in front of him. “Please, have a seat.” 

Rey sits and tries to discreetly wipe her sweaty palms on the side of her pencil skirt. Of fucking course she had to have an attractive immigration officer. Luck was never on her side, it seems. Fuck NYC. Maybe she can go into hiding on some deserted island in the middle of the ocean. It probably wouldn’t be easy, but it’d be better than this. 

“Let’s get started, shall we?” Mr. Solo’s voice brings Rey out of her self-destructive reverie. He is looking through what Rey presumes is her file. “I see that you two are engaged and you, Miss Johnson,” He looks up at her, “Are wanting a K-1 visa, is that correct?” 

She clears her throat. “Yes, that is correct.”

“Before I go any further, I want to be frank with the both of you.” He folds his hands together on his desk and peers at them, his stare feels like needles on Rey’s skin. “I’m sure you both know how this looks. Miss Johnson’s work visa expires and she is unable to renew it. Then, suddenly, Miss Johnson so happens to be engaged right around the same time.” 

“Mr. Solo, I understand how this looks. But Rey is the love of my life. I just thought now was as good a time as any.” Din takes Rey’s hand and squeezes. She’s impressed. Maybe he should pursue an acting career. 

Mr. Solo continues, “Just so you’re aware, if a marriage fraud is taking place here, you both could be imprisoned up to five years and fined up to $250,000.” 

Din doesn’t even crack, “We are well aware of that, Mr. Solo. Lucky for us, then, that our marriage won’t be a fraud.”

Mr. Solo stares at them both for a minute and finally gives in. “Okay.” He nods and glances back down at the file. “You will have to file several documents during this process. The first is FormI-129F. There is a filing fee of $535.” 

Rey knew the number was coming, but it still hits her in the gut. She has a good job, fortunately, but she tends to revert back to her younger self’s mindset—the days of scavenging for hours in order to get scraps of food from Plutt. Rey shudders—she doesn’t want to think about this right now. 

“We also are going to have to investigate some things to be sure this marriage will be valid. At some point, I will question the both of you individually and I may have some of your friends and family come in as well.” Mr. Solo lifts his head and looks Rey directly in the eye. “This process will be long and tedious. And you both will have to be patient with me—This situation looks a bit different than normal because Miss Johnson is already living in the United States. So there may or may not be complications.”

Rey nods, tracking with him. She can see Din nodding in the corner of her eye. 

“Okay then. Here is the paperwork you will need to file. You can set up another appointment at the front desk.” Mr. Solo stands. “Have a nice day.” 

Rey blinks. “I’m sorry, I’m a bit confused. Is that it? I expected this to go longer.” 

He sighs like he would rather do anything than explain this to her. “Miss Johnson, we cannot move forward until these documents are filed and accepted.” 

Wow, he might be pretty, but he’s not all that nice. “Oh, okay. Well, Mr. Solo,” She reaches out and shakes his hand. Sparks shoot through her hand and up her arm. Rey tries to smother the shocked expression already forming on her face. “Thank you so much. I look forward to meeting with you again.” 

“Likewise.” He immediately turns away and starts looking for something in his filing cabinet. 

She fights the urge to roll her eyes. Why are the attractive ones always like this? It doesn't matter anyways; it's not like she'll be engaging in any sort of relations with him—sexual or not. 

Din takes her hand and leads her to reception and, in turn, the sour receptionist.

_Bleh._

They set a date, several weeks away. Rey is just about to say thank you, even if she _really_ doesn’t want to, when a voice interrupts her. 

“Miss Johnson!” 

She turns and faces Mr. Solo. 

“I forgot about this last paper. It’s rather important—I’m glad I caught you before you left.”

Rey is surprised by his earnestness. She opens her mouth and—

“Why look at you, Mr. Solo. Always the perfect gentleman!” The receptionist—the _damn_ _receptionist_ —suddenly looks 10 years younger. She is sitting up straight and coyly looking at Mr. Solo through her eyelashes. The woman has to be at least 15 years older than Mr. Solo. _What a cougar._

“Oh—um, I was just doing my job Miss—?"

"Karen—Karen Fuller." Her name is _Karen_? This just keeps getting better. "I'm new here, but I've seen you around." 

"Ah, well...nice to meet you Miss Fuller."

"Oh please, call me Karen." My god, if she keeps blinking that much, she's going to have a stroke.

Mr. Solo nods at her politely and turns back to Rey, handing her the document. “Good day, Miss Johnson.” He doesn't turn away this time—it actually looks like he’s waiting for her to respond. 

She arches one eyebrow and in her most monotone voice, she says, “Likewise.” 

Then she struts the fuck out of there—all while congratulating her past self for deciding to wear stilettos. If she had looked back, she would have seen the astounded look on Mr. Solo’s face. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually did some research and found out some info concerning visas which I know nothing about. Look at me go! *inserts crowd clapping gif*


	4. Chapter Four

Her friends freaked out when they first heard the news. 

“Rey, are you CRAZY?!” 

“This is the stupidest thing I’ve _ever_ heard.” 

“You could go to jail for this, you know!” 

“I think it’s a pretty good idea.” 

Everyone turns towards Rose, shocked. 

She shrugs. “What? I mean it. Rey had no other options and Din tried to help the only way he could. This could work, as long as you two—“ She glances at Rey and Din. “—Are really careful.” 

“I, for one, do not support this at all.” Finn crosses his arms and glares at Rey. 

She sighs, “I get your concern. This is a lot to take in. But Din and I have been practicing and getting stuff ready for the last couple of weeks and I think we have a good chance of making it.” 

Finn narrows his eyes at her. “What is Din’s favorite snack?” 

“Trail mix.” 

“Song?” 

Rey laughs, shaking her head. “I don’t think Din wants that information disclosed.” 

Din smiles appreciatively. Poe looks like he wants to ask, and his mouth opens to do just that, but Din gives him a look—Poe backs down immediately. 

Finn continues. “Favorite color?” 

“Silver.” 

“Okay, what about—wait. Silver?” He turns towards Din. “I’m sorry dude, but who the fuck has silver as their favorite color?” 

Din shrugs. “I do.” 

Finn still looks confused, but moves on. “What is Rey’s favorite food?” 

“She doesn’t have any. She loves food too much to even think about picking one thing.” 

Finn looks at Rey again. “His morning routine?” 

“He works out at 5:30, makes coffee after he gets back from the gym—” She goes through the list with her fingers. “Then he makes breakfast. After that, he showers and gets ready for work.” She shrugs. “Nothing crazy.” 

Rose pipes in, “Impressive. Have you figured out your living arrangements?” 

Finn makes a weird, squawk-like sound. “Living arrangements?! You don’t plan on living together, do you?” 

Rey sighs, knowing Finn is going to get more and more worked up. “Peanut, think about this logically, _please_? It’s more believable if we live in the same space. We’ve already started moving my stuff into Din’s apartment.” 

“You know how much I hate this, right? I don’t want you to get caught and you’re dealing with a lot of change in a short amount of time. And I _know_ how much you hate change. I’m just concerned for you is all.” He gives her his infamous puppy dog eyes. 

She smiles, her heart warming. “And I love you for that.” She hugs him tightly. “Thank you for always being there for me.” 

He hugs her even tighter. “I love you more, Peanut.” Rey steps back and Finn goes over by Poe, accepting the beer Poe hands him. He takes a swig. 

Kaydel, holding the list of questions that Din and Rey have been studying intently for days, says, “So...have you gone through the sex and kink questions yet?” 

Finn chokes. 

~

Rey is currently in Din’s apartment, feeling slightly overwhelmed. Living in someone else’s space is kind of strange, but she has to get used to it whether she likes it or not. It helps that Din has a nice, clean living space. However—she looks around at the living room—it looks too much like a bachelor pad. She grabs the frames with pictures of the two of them (they have that covered, too), their friends, etc. Decorating is something that Rey has always loved to do, but she hasn't really had much time to do it lately. Opening Spotify, she picks a playlist and gets to work. 

~

Ben unlocks the door to his apartment, exhausted from another long day at work. He throws his stuff on the couch and loosens his tie, thinking about how much he could go for some whiskey right now. He grabs the bottle and pours himself a glass, glaring at his empty kitchen.

Today was not a good day. 

Actually, scratch that. 

The past _month_ hasn’t been good. 

And it’s all because of one person— _Rey Johnson._

That—that _woman_ has been consuming his thoughts since the moment he laid eyes on her. Ben doesn't really know why his brain suddenly decided to become obsessed with her, but it’s a legitimate problem. He sighs, thinking back on the day he met her. 

  
  


_One month ago_

Ben walks out of his office, mentally preparing for his last appointment. He’s tired and honestly wants to get this interview over with.

Walking into the lobby, he finds a couple sitting down—the woman with her back turned. The man has dark hair and eyes. “Miss Johnson and Mr. Lorian?” 

The woman turns around and looks up—and that’s when his life changes. 

Her hair is a chestnut brown, somehow shining as though the sun is beaming down on her. She’s smaller than him, much smaller. He feels like a giant in comparison. He has an urge to tuck her into his arms—keep her safe. However, she doesn’t look like she needs anyone to keep her safe. On the contrary, she looks strong, not just in body, but in spirit. He tries not to choke as he notices the freckles that cover her body. 

_Okay, you apparently have a new kink._

Her lips are pink and they look as soft as rose petals. He—he wants to bend down and taste them, wondering if they taste like strawberries. 

And her eyes—God, her eyes are the thing of dreams. They will probably haunt him for the rest of his days— _just his luck._

He snaps out of his reverie when she responds with a smile (he thinks he might die from the brilliance), “Oh, yes! Yes, I am Rey—Miss Johnson.” 

_Oh_ _god_. She has a fucking _accent_. 

“And I am Mr. Lorian.” The deeper voice cuts through him like a knife. He looks at the man, her fiance, assessing him. 

“I am Ben Solo.” He turns towards Rey— _Miss Johnson_ , he reminds himself. “Your immigration officer. Now, if you will please follow me to my office.” 

He walks into his office, trying to shake off his nerves. He goes behind his desk and gestures at the seats in front of him. “Please, have a seat.” 

“Let’s get started, shall we?” Ben is determined to stay professional. “I see that you two are engaged and you, Miss Johnson,” He looks up at her, “Are wanting a K-1 visa, is that correct?” 

She smiles, “Yes, that is correct.”

And now the hard part. “Before I go any further, I want to be frank with the both of you.” He folds his hands together on his desk. “I’m sure you both know how this looks. Miss Johnson’s work visa expires and she is unable to renew it. Then, suddenly, Miss Johnson so happens to be engaged right around the same time.” 

_Let it be fake. That way, he can swoop in and have Rey all to himself._

What the _fuck_. Ben shakes his head, hoping to be rid of his weirdly possessive, caveman thoughts. 

“Mr. Solo, I understand how this looks. But Rey is the love of my life. I just thought now was as good a time as any.” He squeezes Rey’s hand.

Ben’s not jealous—he’s never been the jealous type. So no, he is not jealous at all. _Nope, no, nada._

He continues, “Just so you’re aware, if a marriage fraud is taking place here, you both could be imprisoned up to five years and fined up to $250,000.” 

“We are well aware of that, Mr. Solo. Lucky for us, then, that our marriage won’t be a fraud.” 

Wow, this man is much smoother than most who come through here. “Okay.” He glances back down at the file. “You will have to file several documents during this process. The first is FormI-129F. There is a filing fee of $535. We also are going to have to investigate some things to be sure this marriage will be valid. At some point, I will question the both of you individually and I may have some of your friends and family come in as well.” Ben lifts his head and looks Rey directly in the eye. “This process will be long and tedious. And you both will have to be patient with me—This situation looks a bit different than normal because Miss Johnson is already living in the United States. So there may or may not be complications.”

They both nod at him.

“Okay then. Here is the paperwork you will need to file. You can set up another appointment at the front desk.” He stands, ready for this to be over. “Have a nice day.” 

Miss Johnson looks dumbfounded. “I’m sorry, I’m a bit confused. Is that it? I expected this to go longer.” 

He sighs, realizing she isn’t going to make this any easier for him. “Miss Johnson, we cannot move forward until these documents are filed and accepted.” 

A look of annoyance flashes on her face, then disappears. “Oh, okay. Well, Mr. Solo,” She reaches out to shake his hand. His hand swallows her’s and his breath stutters. “Thank you so much. I look forward to meeting with you again.” 

“Likewise. Have a good day.” He immediately turns away and pretends to look for something in his filing cabinet. Ben doesn't want to scare her away with his very obvious erection. 

After they leave, he turns back to his desk. Realizing he forgot to give them one important document, he hurries to the lobby. 

“Miss Johnson!” 

She turns and faces him. 

“I forgot about this last paper. It’s rather important—I’m glad I caught you before you left.”

She opens her mouth to say something when someone cuts in. 

“Why look at you, Mr. Solo. Always the perfect gentleman!” 

He doesn't know who the hell this woman is, but she is definitely not his favorite person right now. However, he always remembers what his mother taught him as a boy.

_Be polite, even if they’re annoying as hell._

He responds with, “Oh—um, I was just doing my job Miss—?” 

"Karen—Karen Fuller." Karen? Yeah, that definitely makes sense."I'm new here, but I've seen you around." 

"Ah, well…nice to meet you Miss Fuller." _Not._

"Oh please, call me Karen." What—what is she doing with her eyes? It’s starting to freak him out a little bit. 

Ben nods at her as politely as he can muster and turns back Miss Johnson, handing her the document. “Good day, Miss Johnson.” 

He tries to be more nice, and less abrupt, this time and waits for her to respond. 

“Likewise.” She says this with a sassy look on her face that makes Ben feel wary. 

She turns on her heel and struts out of the building, giving Ben a full view of her impeccable ass. God, pencil skirts are a weakness of his. This woman is turning out to be more than he thinks he can handle. He knows he’s gaping, but he doesn’t even care. 

~

Ben is pulled back to the present, in his kitchen, alone. If there’s anything he knows, it’s this—he’s completely and utterly fucked. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry that I'm updating late!! This past week has been absolutely insane and I haven't had a whole lot of time. But, I'm here now! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. :)


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